I hate chartered accountants

Politicos are considering three ways to be rid of nuisance candidates. Either fine them P50,000, or make them show proof of sanity, or forever bar them after three Comelec rulings of inadequacy. The Comelec is to pare down the official bets from last week’s 152 senatorial and 185 party-list filers. Past criteria will be used, says Comelec spokesman James Jimenez. Out at once are two whose nominations were signed by God, one who claims to be the ex-hubby of Kris Aquino, another who goes by the alias Captain Kidlat, some who went on record in news videos as seeking their 15 minutes of fame, and many first-timers likely incapable of mounting credible campaigns. There are also considerations of cost and comprehension, Jimenez adds. Producing extra-long ballots on special security paper would run to the hundreds of millions of pesos. Too many names confuse voters. In 2016 only six of dozens of presidential wannabes, 50 of 145 senatorial filers, and 135 of 212 party-list names were … [Read more...] about Dynasts are the real nuisance candidates

By Emma McIntosh StarMetro Calgary Fri., June 22, 2018 CALGARY—The evening before William Whatcott was expected to turn himself into Calgary police, the anti-LGBTQ activist wanted on Canada-wide warrants for promotion of hatred said he regretted nothing. Whatcott — who has said he’ll surrender Friday morning — is accused of distributing 3,000 pamphlets containing “hateful content” to attendees at Pride Toronto’s 2016 parade. The warrant for his arrest, issued this spring, has been hailed as a positive step by LGBTQ advocates. “I’m not sad for anything I did,” said Whatcott as he drove to Calgary on Thursday evening. “Yeah, it’s violent. Yeah, there’s a lot of homosexuals in jail. But yeah, I also have the father, the son and the holy spirit, and I’m prepared to suffer for my convictions.” In a post on Freenorthamerica.ca — a website associated with what appears to … [Read more...] about As anti-LGBTQ activist wanted for promotion of hatred surrenders to police, he says he regrets nothing

By Michael Mui StarMetro Vancouver Tessa Vikander StarMetro Vancouver Tues., June 19, 2018 William Whatcott, a well-known anti-LGBTQ activist wanted on a Canada-wide warrant for wilful promotion of hatred, plans to turn himself in this week, according to his lawyer. Whatcott, who once lived in New Westminster, is accused of distributing 3,000 pamphlets to attendees at Pride Toronto’s 2016 parade. They contained what Toronto police call “hateful” content. A warrant was issued in spring 2018. Whatcott’s lawyer, Charles Lugosi, said his client intends to turn himself in to police in Calgary on Friday. The allegations contained in the warrant have not been proven in court. In a post on Freenorthamerica.ca — a website associated with what appears to be Whatcott’s Twitter account — a user called “Bill Whatcott” described the pamphlets distributed on July 3, 2016, when he and several others … [Read more...] about Anti-gay activist wanted for promotion of hatred will surrender in Calgary, lawyer says

MANILA, Philippines — Senators do not see a constitutional crisis arising from a Supreme Court (SC) ruling unseating Maria Lourdes Sereno as chief justice, which lawmakers warned weakened the powers of Congress to remove impeachable officials. In separate interviews, Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III and Minority Leader Franklin Drilon said it appeared that the House of Representatives would no longer insist on impeaching Sereno after the SC granted the quo warranto petition filed by Solicitor General Jose Calida. They said if the House would not transmit the articles of impeachment to the Senate, there is no need for the chamber to convene as an impeachment court to try Sereno for her alleged violations of the law and the Constitution. “We will only have a constitutional crisis if the House says Sereno’s ouster was not valid and the House thinks Sereno remains seated so they will transmit the articles of impeachment, and when that reaches us, we will say … [Read more...] about ‘No constitutional crisis from CJ ouster’

Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno has nowhere else to go amid the pendency of an impeachment proceeding against her at the House and the filing of quo warranto proceedings at the Supreme Court, House Justice Committee Chair Rey Umali said Monday. Umali reiterated his call for Sereno to resign after 13 Supreme Court magistrates asked her to go on leave ahead of a possible impeachment trial in the Senate. Sereno is facing impeachment proceedings at the House of Representatives after lawyer Lorenzo Gadon accused her of culpable violation of the Constitution, betrayal of public trust, and other high crimes. SC justices reached consensus Sereno should take indefinite leave "Even before that, malayo na 'yan, ngayon lang wala na siyang tatakbuhan. To my mind because what happened when 13 justices voted on a resolution to force her to go on leave wala na rin siya tatakbuhan. That leave can never be reconsidered without a majority of the SC justices overhauling the earlier … [Read more...] about Sereno has nowhere to go, says Umali